Reach For The Stars Pediatric Therapy Blog

Reach For The Stars with this pediatric therapy and autism services blog by the national early intervention company Achieve Beyond serving CA, CT, FL, MD, NJ, NY and VA continuing to expand. This blog features stories about special needs children, professional therapists and editorials for special needs parents.

Tactile Sensory Processing

The tactile system receives information from the environment around us through receptors on our skin that receive touch. Our body then is able to interpret this information and decide how to respond to it. Tactile sensory processing is necessary to develop skills needed for daily activities and social relationships. When the brain has difficulties understanding and responding to tactile information it may be expressed as hyperrosponsiveness or hyporesponsiveness.

If a child is hyperrosponsive to tactile input, their brain is too easily excited by touch and they may display tactile avoidance behaviors. They feel every little touch and are unable to ignore it. Different food or clothing textures, messy play, and physical contact may be irritating or even painful to these children. If a child is hyporesponsive to tactile input, their brain needs more touch in order to know how to respond appropriately. They may display tactile seeking behaviors. These children may touch everything in sight; seem to always be messy; or constantly wanting physical contact.

Occupational Therapy (OT) can help children with tactile sensory processing difficulties better engage in activities at home school and in the community. OT can decrease tactile avoidance and tactile seeking behaviors be presenting oppourtunities for play combined with tactile experiences; expand food repertoire by introducing new food textures; provide sensory integration strategies to increase sensory input into other sensory systems that may help to regulate the tactile system; and work with parents and caregivers to educate about activities to try at home.